Bridle-bit.



' ATES PATENT OFFI E.

MERRELL l-I. SIMS, OF MILLEDGEVILLE, GEORGIA.

BRlDLE-BIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,913, dated August14, 1900.

Application filed April 5, 1900. Serial No. 11,697. No model-) To ctZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I DIERRELL H. SIMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milledgeville, in the county of Baldwin and State. ofGeorgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits, ofwhich the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bridle-bits; and it consists inthe simple, inexpensive, and advantageous bridle-bit hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ofmyimproved bit. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken inthe plane indicated by the broken line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 3 3of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged de tail transverse section taken in aplane at the outer side of one of the cheek-pieces.

In the said drawings similar letters designate corresponding parts inall of the several Views, referring to which- AAare the cheek-pieces,and l3 B the crossbars, of my improved bridle-bit.

The cheek-pieces are each made in one piece of suitable metal and are bypreference cruciform in on tlinethat is to say, they respectivelycomprise a central body a and four arms I), o, d, and e, reachingtherefrom. They are provided in their central or body portions a withslots or elongated openings f, for a purpose presently described, andare also provided in their several arms with apertures, as shown. Theapertured arms I) of the cheek-pieces are designed for the connection ofthe head-stall of a bridle, the apertured arms 0 for the connectionof aside check rein, the apertnred arms 8 for the connection of theovercheok-rein, and the apertured arms cl for the connection of atie-rein or fancy halter-chains when the latter are at oneend to theinner side of one checkpiece and extend loosely through the slot orelongated opening f of the other cheek-piece. They have their outerportions curved rearwardly, as indicated by g, and terminate at theirouter ends in enlargements h, in which rein-rings i are journaled, asshown. As will be readily observed by referenceto Figs. 1, 3, and 4c ofthe drawings, the apertures f of the two plates A are arranged indifferent planes, and the bars B are connected to the plates at oppositesides of the apertures that is to say, one bar B is connected to theright-hand plate below the aperture therein and the other bar B isconnected to the lefthand plate above the aperture therein. By virtue ofthis the bars 13 are held apart and cannot contact with each other atany point in theirlength. Thisishighlyadvantageous, since it removesall'liability of friction be tween the bars when said bars are drawn inopposite directions and also because it precludes a horse pressing thebars together between his teeth, and thereby preventing movement of thebars in the opposite directions and the consequent pressure of thecheekpieces against the mouth of the horse.

WVhen the bars B are drawn outwardly in opposite directions by a driverpulling on reins attached to the rings 2', the cheek-pieces A are causedto clamp the mouth of the horse and concentrate his attention on thebit, and the more the reins are pulled the closer the cheek-pieces aredrawn together, with the resultthat the driver is enabled to control themost fractious horse. Moreover, it will be seen that when the bars B aredrawn outwardly in opposite directions by pulling on the reins said barswill also be drawn rearwardly against the corners of the horses month,which adds to the efliciency of the bit.

The rearwardly-curved portions 9 of the bars B enable the cheek-pieces Ato freely work in and out on the said bars as the reins or driving-linesare pulled upon and slackened, and hence enable a driver to maintain thedriving-lines may be attached to the arms c of the cheek-pieces and thebit used after the manner of the ordinary bit.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim is- 1. Theherein-described bit comprising the right and left hand cheek-pieces,having the slots or elongated openings 1 arranged in different planes, across-bar fixedly connected at one end to the inner side of theright-hand cheek-piece, at one side of and a slight distance from theslot therein, and extending loosely through the slot of the left-handcheekpiece, and a cross-bar fixedly connected at one end to the innerside of the left-hand cheek-piece at the opposite side of and a slightdistance from the slot therein, and extending loosely through the slotof the right-hand cheek-piece whereby the bars are held apart throughouttheir length; the said bars having their outer portions curvedrearwardly and adapted to be connected to driving-lines, substantiallyas specified.

2. The herein-described bit comprising cheek-pieces each formed in onepiece and having the central portion provided With a slot or elongatedopening f and four apertured arms reaching from said central portion,and the cross-bars each fixedly connected at one end to the inner sideof the central portion of one cheek-piece at a slight distance from theslot therein and extending loosely through the slot in the centralportion of the other cheek-piece whereby the bars are held apart; thesaid bars having their outer portions curved rearwardly and providedwith loose rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

MERRELL H. SIMS.

Witnesses:

W. L. BETHUNE, MILLER S. BELL.

